Impatient to be Free
by TopsyTurvyTurners
Summary: Things hadn't always been so sour between them. There had been so many happy memories such as their wedding day and when their only child Isla was born. But now things are terrible and Shelagh Thomson feels trapped. After moving from Scotland to Poplar she had hoped things would go back to the way they once were, but that wasn't the case. And now...now she is impatient to be free.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: So, me and my friend Aimee on Twitter have decided to do a bit of a collab! Over the last two days we've been talking about what this fic should look like and how it should go and so we decided to put it out there for you all to have a read! This fic will be updated whenever a new chapter is written, so we don't have a set updating schedule I'm afraid. We hope that you all enjoy this fic though and happy reading! x**

* * *

Shelagh grimaced as she brushed her fingers against the darkening bruise on her cheekbone when she was stood in front of the mirror in the bedroom that she shared with her husband one morning, a sigh falling from her lips as she knew that she would have to cover it up with some powder before she went to Nonnatus House to meet Sister Julienne just before lunchtime.

The low grunt that came from the bed that she had vacated a few minutes earlier prompted her to look over her shoulder, her heart pounding against her ribs as she watched Graham stir before relief flooded her body when he rolled over and his snores filled the air again. She hadn't always been this scared of him; he hadn't been violent, but ever since he had started drinking…he had become someone that she no longer recognized.

As she walked over to her dressing table in search of her powder, she reminded herself that Graham hadn't meant to hit her last night. He had had several cans of beer and she had scolded him for making a mess and for getting himself into such a state again and – in the heat of the moment – he had struck her across the face. It had been her own mistake, she knew that, and so she had forgiven him when he had climbed into bed behind her before encircling her in his arms and humming apologies between kisses to her shoulder and the side of her neck.

It didn't take long for her to cover the bruise on her cheek with powder – she had become so used to doing it that she could do it with her eyes closed – and once she had placed the lid back on the powder she returned it to the drawer in her dressing table before heading over to the bed, walking around to Graham's side and perching herself on the edge of the mattress. 'I love you so much, you know.' She told him while she stroked his dark hair.

She leaned down to give him a kiss on the cheek before running her hand across his shoulder and down his arm and getting up from the bed to walk over to the bedroom door and get her dressing gown. Once she had taken it from the hook on the back of the door she slipped it on and tied the sashes around her waist, her lips curling up into a smile of adoration when she opened the door and her gaze landed on her three-year-old daughter, Isla.

Isla wrapped her arms around her neck and buried her face in her shoulder once she had lowered herself down to her level, a sigh escaping her when she wrapped her own arms around her waist and gave her a squeeze before kissing the side of her head through her hair. It hurt her to know that Isla was too afraid to come into her room for a cuddle in the morning; that her father intimidated her so much that she didn't dare come into the room without him giving her permission first. 'Morning, Mummy.' She heard Isla whisper as she nuzzled her shoulder.

'Good morning, angel.' She replied before resting her hands on her arms and drawing her out of her embrace so that she could look into her eyes, 'Did you have a nice rest?' Isla gave a silent nod in reply as she looked at her. She moved her hands from her arms to her waist before bringing her close enough to press her lips to her brow, the two of them laughing together when her stomach gave a loud rumble a few seconds later. 'Goodness gracious, someone managed to work up quite the appetite through the night, didn't they?' Isla giggled at her exclamation.

'Breakfast?' She raised her brow at her mother.

'Yes, I think it's time Mummy went downstairs to find you something to eat.' Shelagh nodded. 'Would you like to come down to the kitchen with me so that you can choose what you want to have for breakfast, sweetheart?'

'Yes please, Mummy.' Isla said.

After pressing a final kiss onto her forehead, Shelagh rose from her crouched position before taking hold of her daughter's hand and stepping out of the bedroom before closing the door after glancing over her shoulder to make sure that Graham was still sleeping. She then brushed her thumb against Isla's knuckles before helping her to walk carefully down the staircase and then along the hall until the two of them came to their little kitchen.

It didn't take Isla long to decide that she wanted jam on toast for her breakfast and so – while she pulled out a chair at the table and climbed up onto it – Shelagh put two slices of bread into the toaster and went into the cupboard for the jam. Once she had placed the jam jar down on the kitchen counter she approached the dining table before drawing out the chair next to Isla and sitting down in it before reaching out to caress her cheek.

'Isla, do you remember how I told you that I have to go out for a little while this afternoon?' She asked, sighing when her little girl nodded. 'Well, while I'm gone, I want you to be a good girl and stay in your bedroom and play with your toys, okay?' She took one of her hands in her own before giving the back of her palm a soft kiss.

'Why?' Isla asked.

'Because…because Daddy has a bad headache and he's tired so he might be a bit of a grump today. You only have to stay in your bedroom until I get home though, and then we can make some cookies if you like? We can do whatever you want, but only if you do as Mummy says and you stay in your bedroom until I come back.'

Isla gave her a smile before squeezing her hand. 'Okay.'

'You're such a good girl.' Shelagh ran her hand over her hair.

She rose from her chair after a few seconds before making her way over to the toaster and getting Isla's toast out of it, a smile on her lips when she returned to the table after putting the toast on a plate and spreading the jam over them. 'Now, I want you to sit here and eat all your breakfast while I go and do a little bit of cleaning in the sitting room before Daddy gets up.' She told her daughter after placing her plate of toast down in front of her.

'Thank you, Mummy.' Isla smiled, Shelagh bending at the waist to kiss her forehead.

She then walked over to the kitchen counter before opening a drawer and pulling out a bin-bag, her gaze falling on the doorway to the sitting room as she tried to prepare herself for the mess she was about to come across. After making sure that Isla was eating her jam on toast she walked out of the kitchen and into the sitting room, her face falling when she took in the sight before her. There were empty beer cans scattered around the floor near his armchair, the photo frames that had been sat on the windowsill had been knocked off and some of the ornaments that had been sat on the cabinet near the door were now laying on the floor in quite a sorry state.

Graham had obviously stumbled right into it.

Deciding to just get on with cleaning the room instead of scolding her husband again in her head, she made her way over to his chair before bending down to pick up the beer cans and drop them into the bin-bag. It didn't take too long for her to finish getting rid of the beer cans and once she had tied the bin-bag she set it down and began to pick up the photo frames that were on the floor. The first one that she picked up was a photograph that she and Graham had had taken on their wedding day almost ten years ago. The years had passed so quickly.

The feeling of arms snaking around her middle startled her a few minutes later before she settled down when Graham pressed his lips to her shoulder through her dressing gown. 'Morning.' He pressed his lips to the side of her neck, Shelagh leaning back into his chest as she continued to hold onto their wedding photo. 'You know; you looked so beautiful in that dress. When you came walking down the aisle I almost cried at the sight of you.'

A delicate smile graced Shelagh's features before she heard him sigh when he rested his chin on her shoulder. 'About last night.' He grazed his nose against the side of her neck before she gave him a silent shake of the head.

'I don't want to talk about last night.' She whispered. 'I want to forget about it.'

She lowered her gaze to his chest when he turned her in his arms, Graham caressing her waist before he hooked his finger beneath her chin and lifted her gaze to his. 'I was out of order.' He told her as he moved his hand to her cheekbone and brushed his fingertips against the bruise that he knew she had covered up, her eyes fluttering closed at the contact. 'I had no right to hit you; you were just trying to help me, sweetheart, I know that now.'

'Graham, it's alright.' She soothed.

'No, Shelagh,' He placed his hand on the small of her back and drew her close before smoothing circles into the fabric of her dressing gown, 'no it's not. I need to sober up; I know that, and I swear I'm going to try harder.'

Shelagh lowered her gaze to his chest. 'You know that I love you…' She sighed, 'but words don't mean anything to me anymore. You need to prove it, Graham, you need to prove to me that you're going to sober up because otherwise that's just another empty promise.' She brought her gaze back to his when he kissed her on the temple.

'I _will_ prove it to you.' He grazed her nose with his. 'You'll see.'

The two of them shared a small smile then before his gaze flicked from hers to her lips and back again, his hold of her tightening before he lowered his head to capture her lips between his in a gentle kiss. She placed a hand on his chest as her eyes fell closed again, stroking the dark hairs on his chest with her fingers while his lips caressed hers. Graham ran his tongue along the seam of her lips a few moments later and she sighed, parting her lips so he could deepen their kiss. As his tongue danced with hers she could taste the beer that he had been drinking the evening before and it took every ounce of strength that she possessed to prevent herself from gagging at the taste.

'Back to bed?' He suggested when he broke their kiss before tilting his head to leave a kiss to the area of her neck just below her jaw, Shelagh swallowing nervously as he kissed his way down her neck.

'Isla's in the kitchen.' She breathed as her head dropped to one side on instinct and he pulled her closer to him.

'She'll be alright.' He told her before pulling on the sash of her dressing gown to open it and slipping the garment off of her shoulders, Shelagh placing her hand on his chest when it fell to the floor.

'Graham, I…'

'Mummy, may I have a drink?' Relief flooded her body when Isla called from the kitchen and gave her a reason to ease her husband back from her, Graham groaning in disappointment as he stopped leaving kisses on her neck.

She reached up to run the back of her hand down his cheek when their eyes met.

He gave her a small smile at her caress before she began to walk past him, her breath hitching when he caught her around the waist and palled her back against his chest. 'Tonight.' He pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

Instead of feeling excitement at his words she felt dread as she knew that – when she went to bed that night – he wasn't going to stop kissing her and wasn't going to leave her be until he had had his way with her. She offered him a smile when she turned her head in his direction, hoping that it was convincing enough before he kissed her lips and let go of her. She waited until she had walked out of the sitting room before she let out a tearful sigh.

When she walked into the kitchen, however, she forced a smile to appear on her lips so that she didn't upset Isla. 'What would you like to drink, sweet pea?' She asked after walking over to her daughter and tucking one of her mousy curls back beneath her ear, Isla humming in thought for a second as she finished her second piece of toast.

'Apple juice, please.' She replied.

'Alright.' Shelagh nodded before leaving a kiss to the top of her head and taking the empty plate from the table.

As she set about pouring her little girl some apple juice, Graham walked into the kitchen and when she turned to take Isla's drink to her she was able to see just how anxious she was as she looked at her father. She sat down in the chair beside her daughter after putting her apple juice down on the table and she felt her heart sink when she saw her flinch when Graham gave her hair a stroke while he walked past her on his way over to the refrigerator.

It didn't take long for him to make himself some breakfast and leave the kitchen with it, Shelagh's brow creasing when she rested her hand on Isla's knee beneath the table. 'Daddy does love you, darling; you know that, don't you?' She sighed, Isla lifting her gaze from her cup of apple juice to her own before she gave her a sceptical look.

'He's mean.' Isla told her.

'He's not mean, Isla, he's just…not well…' Shelagh explained.

'He hurts you.' Isla whimpered.

Shelagh fell silent for a few moments at her words, her heart racing in her chest as she wondered if Isla had seen Graham backhand her in the sitting room the night before. After swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat she took one of her daughter's hands in hers before looking her in the eye. 'Darling, I want you to tell me something.' She told her. 'You won't be in trouble, I swear that, but you need to tell me the truth about this.'

'Okay.' Isla nodded.

Shelagh caressed her knuckles with her thumb. 'Were…were you watching when Daddy smacked me last night?'

Isla sat in silence for a few seconds as tears sparkled in her eyes before she sucked her bottom lip and nodded.

'Oh, sweetheart…' Shelagh placed her hands on her little girl's waist before bringing her into her lap, Isla hiding her face in her chest as she curled her fingers into her nightgown and snuggled against her with a quiet sniffle. 'What were you doing out of bed?' Shelagh asked after she had buried a number of lingering kisses into her hair.

'I wanted cuddles.' Isla admitted. 'I'm sorry.'

Shelagh shook her head before tightening her hold of her and kissing her crown again. 'You have nothing to be sorry about.' Her lips brushed her hair while she spoke to her. 'You've done nothing wrong, Isla, I mean that.'

There was only one person to blame for Isla seeing Graham strike her last night.

And that was Graham himself.

* * *

It was later that morning when Shelagh was sat on the chair in front of her dressing table while she brushed out her hair, her gaze fixed on Isla through the mirror as she was sat on the bed that she and Graham shared while she played with her doll. Knowing that her daughter had seen her father in such an intoxicated state the evening before; knowing that she had witnessed him slap her across the face so hard made her want to burst into tears.

When she had been standing in the sitting room with one hand on her burning cheek after Graham had hit her, she had thought that she had seen movement on the staircase but tears had blurred her vision and so she had managed to convince herself that she had been wrong. She knew now, however, that she had been right and the movement she had seen had been Isla running back upstairs after she had seen her get whacked by her father.

She wanted to believe that that was the first time she had seen Graham whack her during an argument or when he had a few beers in him, but the fact that she was so terrified of him and the fact that she hated it when he cuddled her or brought her to sit with him told her that there was a high chance that she had seen him belt her several times. She was so young and so innocent; she shouldn't have had to watch her father belt her mother.

The sound of the bedroom door opening brought her out of her thoughts after a time and when Graham came walking into the room she turned to Isla and offered her a soft smile. 'Isla, darling, can you go and play with your doll in your room for a little while? Mummy needs to have a private talk with your Daddy.' She admitted.

'Okay.' Isla replied before she got down from the bed and walked across the room towards the door, Shelagh turning to her husband once their daughter had walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind herself.

'What do you want to talk to me about?' Graham asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

Shelagh sighed as she set her hairbrush down on her dressing table. 'I know that I said that I wanted to leave what happened last night in the past and forget about it, but I feel as though we have to talk about it now.' She saw the slight confusion on her husband's face as he looked at her. 'Isla…saw what you did to me.' She said.

'She saw me…'

'Yes, she did.' She replied. 'And I don't think that was the first time she's seen you put your hands on me, either.'

Graham gazed down at his lap as he felt a surge of annoyance course through him. 'What part of "when you're in bed you stay in bed" doesn't that girl understand?' He growled, Shelagh glaring at him from where she was sat.

'Don't you dare.' She spat. 'Don't you dare make out that this is her fault!'

Graham looked up at her at her outburst before scowling. 'If she had behaved herself and remained in bed then she wouldn't have seen anything, now would she?' He snapped while the two of them looked at one another.

'You shouldn't have put your hands on me in the first place; you said so yourself when we were downstairs!' She almost shouted. 'Our little girl is three years old, Graham, and she has seen things that no child her age should ever have to see! It's your fault that she saw you hit me last night because you were the one who made the choice to hit me. The blame isn't on me and it isn't on our daughter; it's on you because you haven't got the first idea about how to control your temper and to know when you've had enough to drink!' Tears were stinging her eyes.

'I apologised to you.' He growled. 'What else do you want from me?'

'I want the man I fell in love with back!' She released a sob. 'When we were courting; when we were first married you were so gentle with me. You hated it if men whistled at me when we were out for a walk together and you never would have dreamed of hitting me or insulting me if we argued or if I didn't have dinner on the table when you got home from work.' Soft tears were rolling down her cheeks. 'I don't understand what I've done wrong.'

When she cast her gaze down to her lap she heard Graham sigh as he got up from the bed, a sniffle coming from her when he knelt down in front of her and took one of her hands in his. 'You haven't done anything wrong.' This time his tone was loving as he spoke to her and she looked into his eyes when he gave her knuckles a caress. 'You are an incredible wife and a perfect Mummy to our daughter and Isla and I are so blessed to have you.'

'Then…then why do you hit me? Why do you tell me that I'm a waste of space?' She asked him while she cried.

Graham kept silent for a moment before sighing. 'Because…because I find it difficult to control my temper.'

'When you hit me and when you insult me it makes me feel like you've fallen out of love with me.' She told him.

He reached up to wipe the tears from her cheeks before he rose from his crouched position. 'Come with me.'

She got up from the chair before allowing him to lead her over to their bed by the hand, their eyes meeting when he sat down and placed his hands on her waist before he eased her onto his knee. 'Listen to me…' He told her while wrapping one arm around her middle and bringing his free hand up to sweep her hair out of her face. 'you are my wife and you mean more to me than anything else on earth, my love, and I will never stop loving you.'

'Do you mean it?' She sniffed.

'With every fibre of my being.' He traced the line of her jaw with his fingers.

She gave him a gentle smile then before lacing her arms around his neck and leaning forward to give him a warm kiss, Graham running his hand up and down her back through her dress when she drew back from him. 'I want you to wear a cardigan when you go to Nonnatus House.' He told her, Shelagh's heart sinking in her chest as she knew his reasoning. He didn't want Sister Julienne to notice the bruises that she had on her arms and forearms.

'Alright.' She unwound her arms from around his neck and ran her hands across his shoulders and down his arms before slipping from his lap to walk over to her wardrobe and choose a cardigan. In the end she chose the pale pink one that she had bought a few days earlier before slipping her arms into the sleeves. 'I won't be gone for too long, I don't think. I just have to sign some forms and then get my uniform off of Sister Julienne. I don't even think I'll be there for an hour.' Graham rose from the bed before walking over to her and kissing her brow softly.

'We'll be fine, don't worry.' He caressed her waist.

'Okay.' She smiled. 'Now, I had better get going if I'm going to be at Nonnatus House on time.'

The two of them shared a kiss then before she slipped from his hold and left the bedroom, her lips curling into a smile when she knocked on Isla's door before pushing it open and entering the room. 'I'm leaving now, darling.' She said as Isla looked up at her from where she was sat on the floor with her dolls, her daughter pushing herself to her feet before she approached her and put both of her arms around her legs. 'Do you remember what I said?'

'Stay in here.' Isla nodded against the skirt of her dress. 'I'll miss you.'

'I'll miss you too, sweet pea,' She ran her hand over her hair, 'but I won't be gone for too long.'

'Can we go to the park later?' Isla asked when she looked up at her and met her gaze.

Shelagh giggled before getting down to her level. 'Yes, we can go to the park when I get home.'

The happiness was evident on Isla's face.

'Now, I need to get going.' Shelagh kissed her on the forehead. 'I'll see you in a little while, alright?'

'Alright.' Isla echoed before her mother left the bedroom while she walked back over to her dolls.

Once Shelagh had closed the door to her daughter's bedroom behind her, she sighed. Even though Graham had told her that things would be fine, she was still sceptical. Deep down, she wished she could take Isla with her, but she knew that if she did then she and Sister Julienne wouldn't be able to talk since Isla would be asking her question after question.

Knowing that she was going to end up being late if she stood there brooding for a moment longer, she walked downstairs before picking up her handbag and leaving the house to start the short walk to Nonnatus House.

* * *

It was a little over an hour later when she was walking home from Nonnatus House with her new nursing bag in one hand and the package that contained her uniform tucked under her arm. The meeting that she had just had with Sister Julienne had gone as well as she had expected it would; the elder woman had been kind and made her feel welcome, but when she had been signing the paperwork the sleeve of her cardigan had rolled up somewhat.

The Sister had noticed the marks on her wrist – the marks that Graham had made by seizing her wrist when she had tried to storm out of the sitting room after another one of their arguments a couple of days before – and when she had asked her how she had received the bruises after she had pulled her sleeve back down she had told her that she was always walking into counters and doorframes when she was at home and that it was nothing.

She had been relieved when Sister Julienne hadn't pressed her further and had started to go through her schedule with her, but it had been obvious to her that the elder woman hadn't believed what she had said about walking into things at home. Sister Julienne had asked her if she would like to stay for a cup of tea once the meeting had come to an end, but she had wanted nothing more than to return home to Isla and so she had politely refused.

When she reached the flat that she lived in with her husband and daughter she sighed in relief as she pushed the door open and stepped inside, her brow furrowing in concern when she shut the door behind her and Isla came to stand at the top of the stairs with tear stains on her cheeks. She stood in silence for a time as she watched her little girl walk down the staircase, but got down to her level and sighed when Isla came to stand in front of her.

'What's the matter, precious?' She whispered as she placed her hands on her daughter's waist.

'Daddy shouted at me.' Isla told her before wiping her damp cheeks with the palms of her hands.

Shelagh's concern grew. 'He shouted at you? What for?'

'I was thirsty.' Isla admitted. 'I wanted a drink.'

'And he shouted at you for asking him if he would get you one?' Shelagh raised her brow.

Her daughter gave her a silent nod as tears sparkled in her eyes.

'Oh, Isla, come here.' She drew her into her arms before allowing her to wrap her arms around her neck and hide her face in her shoulder, her fingers running through her mousy hair as she heard her sniff against her shoulder. After a few minutes she eased her back from her before reaching up to remove the tears from her cheeks with the tips of her fingers. 'How about we go to the park, hmm? Would that make you feel a little better, my darling?'

Isla smiled at her suggestion before nodding. 'Can I go on the swings?'

'Of course.' Shelagh giggled. 'You can go on whatever you like.'

Isla took a step closer to her and kissed her on the cheek. 'I love you, Mummy.'

'I love you too, Isla.' Shelagh reassured her. 'Now, pop upstairs and find your coat.'

She watched her little girl ascend the stairs before she turned her head in the direction of the sitting room and let out a sigh as she shook her head. Once she had risen from her crouched position she folded her arms across her chest and walked towards the sitting room, Graham looking over at her as he took another long sip of beer when she walked into the room. 'Before you start snapping at me, I'm not drunk.' He admitted as she scowled at him.

'No,' She replied, 'but it's not going to be long until you are.'

'You've been home for five minutes,' He sighed, 'give it a rest.'

Shelagh lowered herself down onto the arm of the settee before looking at him in silence for a few minutes. 'Isla told me that you shouted at her because she came downstairs to ask you if you would get her a drink.' She said.

'She was being a pest.' He grumbled.

'No, she was thirsty.' She hissed. 'There's a difference.'

He rolled his eyes in response.

'It doesn't surprise me that she's scared of you, you know. You're always shouting at her.' She told him.

'Don't exaggerate.' He scoffed.

'I'm not.' She sighed. 'Whenever she's downstairs you snap at her for being too loud and whenever she's playing in the garden you snap at her for getting grass stains on her dresses. You're always telling me that you want to have a proper relationship with her; a relationship that a father is supposed to have with his little girl, but you're not realising that you're the one who's stopping that from happening. You're just pushing her away, Graham.'

Graham turned his head in the direction of the window before taking another swig of his beer.

'How many of those are you planning on having?' She asked.

'As many as I want.' He admitted.

'Well, I want you to think about this whenever you open another can.' She said as she got off of the arm of the settee. 'If you're drunk and passed out in that chair when Isla and I get home from the park later on, you'll be sleeping down here tonight and I'll never believe another one of your promises.' And, with that, she walked out of the sitting room before giggling when she saw Isla sitting on the stairs while she tried to put her shoes on.

'You might find it a little easier if you unbuckle them first, angel.' She informed her while approaching the stairs before she knelt down in front of her daughter, accepted the shoe from her and unbuckled it before pushing it onto her foot and fastening the buckle again. Once she had gotten her other shoe on she allowed her to slide her hand into hers before smiling when she jumped off of the stairs, Isla giggling when she gazed up into her eyes.

'Can we go to the park now, Mummy, can we go to the park now?' Isla asked while tugging on her hand.

Shelagh felt her heart swell with love for Isla when she saw the glimmer in her eyes. 'Come on, then.' She winked.

She opened the front door before allowing her daughter to step out of the flat first, the two of them entwining their fingers whilst she closed the door behind them before they both started to walk in the direction of the park.

* * *

Isla's eyelashes and warm breath beat against the side of Shelagh's neck when she was lying in bed with her in her arms late that evening, her head cushioned on her shoulder as she slept and her arm was draped over her middle while her mother ran her fingers through her hair in a comforting fashion. Walking into the sitting room to find Graham passed out in his armchair hadn't come as a surprise to her – she had known that that was the state she was going to find him in when she returned before she and Isla had even walked out of the flat to go to the park, but Graham had been shocked when it had dawned on him that she had meant what she had said to him earlier.

It had been obvious to her when she had set him a bed up on the settee that he had thought she had been joking when she had told him that he would be sleeping downstairs if she came home to him drunk, but not a single thing that she had said to him had been a joke. She was so sick and tired of coming home to a husband who did nothing but groan at her because he had a headache; of coming home to find countless beer cans on the floor and she was going to teach him a lesson whether he liked it or not. And it was clear that he didn't like it one bit.

'Mummy…' She heard Isla murmur as she stirred in her embrace before she turned her head towards her and kissed her on the forehead before shushing her, the love that she possessed for her deepening when she snuggled further into her and grasped the material of her nightgown in her hand before drifting off to sleep once more.

Isla had been so worn out when the two of them had left the park, the little darling, and had asked to be carried because of that. She was a lot heavier than she used to be since she was just a few months away from turning four now, but Shelagh hadn't been able to find it in her to make her walk and so she had picked her up and balanced her on her hip before allowing her to snuggle against her whilst she had carried her through the streets of Poplar.

Her back had started to ache after she had walked with her for a few minutes and just when she had been about to tell Isla that she needed to put her down, the sound of a car horn had prompted her to stop in her tracks. It had been the doctor that she had bumped into when she had been leaving Nonnatus House after meeting Sister Julienne – Patrick Turner if she remembered correctly – and when he had seen that she had been struggling to walk with Isla he had offered to drive the two of them home. She had tried to protest but then he had insisted.

Once she had opened the door and slipped into the passenger seat of his car, she had gotten Isla comfortable in her lap before the doctor had started driving again. The two of them had talked for a while - she had told him about how she and Graham had left Scotland and moved to Poplar with Isla because he had wanted them all to have a fresh start and Patrick had told her a few things about himself – and then when he had stopped the car outside her flat she had thanked him for giving up his time to drive her and Isla home before slipping out of it.

The last thing he had said to her before driving off had been: 'I'll see you at clinic on Monday afternoon.'

It was strange…she had only known this man for a matter of minutes and yet she felt as though she had known him for years. The conversation that the two of them had shared had flowed so smoothly and he had made her laugh more than once with his stories about his son, Timothy. If she was honest, she hadn't wanted to go home. She hadn't wanted Graham to remove the smile from her lips, but she had known she had had no other choice.

As she lay in silence in bed now, she found that she was almost…impatient…to see Patrick again at clinic.

When she heard the bedroom door squeak on its hinges as it opened she looked up from Isla to see her husband walk into the room, her brow creasing as he closed the door behind himself. 'I thought I told you that I wanted you to spend the night on the settee.' She told him as she continued to trail her fingers through Isla's silken hair.

'I can't get comfortable.' He said. 'Can't I just come to bed?'

Shelagh thought for a moment before sighing when she looked over at him again. 'You can come to bed, but I don't want to hear your apologies or your promises and I don't want you to hold me. I'm beyond tired and I want to be left alone so that I can sleep.' Graham gave a silent nod in response before turning out the light and heading over to their bed, Shelagh tightening her hold of Isla before she kissed her on the head and began to settle down with her. She closed her eyes as she felt her husband pull back the quilt and climb into bed behind her, listening to the sound of Isla's snores as Graham laid himself down and covered himself with their quilt.

'Goodnight, Shelagh.' He said.

'Goodnight, Graham.' She replied.

The two of them fell into silence then, Graham falling asleep in just a few minutes while Shelagh continued to lie awake and snuggle with her little girl. She didn't know what mood Graham was going to be in in the morning; whether he was going to be annoyed with her for trying to make him sleep on the settee or whether he was going to be in the same apologetic mood that he had been in when he had woken up earlier that morning. There was one thing she knew for certain though, and that was that she wasn't going to give into his kisses and his nuzzles.

She wouldn't forgive him for breaking his promise until he proved to her that he was going to sober up.

Until the man that she fell in love with returned.

* * *

**Author's Note: Thank you all so much for reading this first chapter and please review! x**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Chapter two is here! Aimee and I hope that you all enjoy! :-) x**

* * *

The tears that were brimming in her eyes blurred her vision when she was sat on the settee in the sitting room a few days later with her hand pressed against her stinging cheek, her breathing ragged while she fought against the urge to let her tears fall and looked over at Graham who was standing in the window with his back to her. She could tell that he had hurt his hand when he had slapped her because he was holding it and cursing under his breath as he looked out of the window. He had never hit her so hard.

She was unsure of what she had done to deserve it; she didn't think she had been disrespectful or had snapped at him when he had asked her why she had decided to start working, but…but maybe she had without realising it? Perhaps, because she hadn't had much sleep the night before due to Isla having a number of nightmares, she had been sharp with him when she had replied. 'G…Graham?' She managed to find her voice at last as she removed her hand from her reddening cheek before hearing him groan.

'What?' He spat.

She swallowed the tears that had gotten caught in her throat whilst her hands wrung together in her lap. 'When…when I said that one of us has to go to work, I wasn't trying to be disrespectful. I know that you can't work; I know you have a bad shoulder which stops you from being able to go and work down at the docks and I would never speak ill of you because of that. All I meant was that – in order for us to be able to have three meals a day and to keep a roof over our heads – one of us needs to go to work.'

'I know what you meant.' He rolled his eyes before turning in place to look at her. 'What angered me was the tone you used. I didn't deserve to have you speak to me like that, Shelagh, you were out of line.'

Shelagh lowered her gaze to her wringing hands for a moment when she felt a stab of shame.

'If I was sharp with you, then I apologise.' She said. 'It wasn't intentional; I'm just exhausted because Isla kept having nightmares last night.' When she lifted her gaze to her husband again she rose from the settee before beginning to walk over to him. 'I know that I can't use being worn out as an excuse for being sharp with you though, and I…I'm sorry.' She explained when she came to stand in front of him.

Graham looked at her in silence for a few minutes before bringing a hand up to tuck a strand of her hair back behind her ear, a deep sigh escaping him as she grimaced when he stroked her red cheek with the back of his hand. 'I know you are.' He soothed before taking her waist in his hands through the blue fabric of her uniform and pulling her close, Shelagh blinking back tears as she cuddled up to him.

'You still love me, don't you?' She asked while burying her head beneath his chin.

He pressed his lips to the top of her head before caressing her waist. 'Of course, I do.'

'I never want to lose you.' She told him while she nuzzled her cheek against the fabric of his shirt.

She heard him sigh in response before she tilted her head back against his chest and looked up into his eyes. 'You're not going to lose me.' He reassured her before tracing the sharp line of her jaw with his fingertips. 'I would never leave you and Isla and force the two of you to fend for yourselves, my angel.'

'I love you.' She whispered as she ran the palm of her hand across his chest.

'And I love you.' He pecked her lips. 'So much.'

The two of them shared a smile before he lowered his head to kiss her once more and ran both of his hands down the outsides of her arms through her maroon cardigan. 'Now, I'm going to go upstairs and take a bath. I'll see you when you get home from work, okay?' He said, Shelagh nodding in response.

Once he had pressed his lips to her brow and walked past her to exit the sitting room, Shelagh listened to the sound of him ascending the stairs and only when she heard the bathroom door open and close did she turn back to the settee and sigh: 'You can come out now, sweetheart.' She watched as Isla came crawling out from behind the settee with her stuffed cat in one hand, her heart breaking as the fright that she was feeling was evident in her eyes. 'Come here.' She crouched down, opening her arms to her.

Isla hurried over to her then before all but slinging her arms around her neck and clinging on to her, Shelagh releasing a tearful sigh as she ran a hand over her hair and gave her shoulder a kiss through the fabric of her dress. After a few seconds, Isla drew back from her shoulder before resting her hand on her cheek. 'Are you okay, Mummy?' She asked her while she gazed into her eyes, emotion in her voice.

'Don't you worry about me, sweet pea, I'll be fine.' Shelagh told her as she forced a smile. 'Now, we should get going if we're going to get you to nursery and me to Nonnatus House on time, hadn't we?'

Isla's face fell a little.

'I don't want to go.' She admitted. 'I want to stay with you.'

'I want to stay with you too, Isla,' Shelagh replied, 'but I need to go to work so that we can eat and so that you can have new clothes and new dolls and toys. Besides, you're going to have so much fun there. You're going to make new friends and you're going to learn new things and – if you're a big girl – we can go to the sweet shop when I come to pick you up.' Her heart soared at the smile that Isla gave her.

She placed her hands on her daughter's waist when she laced her arms around her neck again, her eyes falling closed when Isla pressed her lips to her forehead. 'I'm going to make a picture for you.' Isla said after she had drawn back from her skin and their eyes met again. 'A picture of us playing at the park.'

'That sounds like a smashing idea.' Shelagh stroked her cheek. 'I can't wait to see it.'

The two of them nuzzled the tips of their noses against the other's then – something they had done to show affection to each other ever since Isla had been a baby – before Shelagh returned to her normal height and took her daughter's hand in her own. 'Let's go and find your coat and your shoes so we can get going, my love, shall we?' She raised her brow at Isla before her beautiful little girl nodded softly.

Once they had left the sitting room and stepped into the hall, Isla found her coat and shoes and pulled them on with assistance from her Mummy before the two of them took one another's hand again and left their little flat so that they could both make the short five-minute walk to the nursery together.

* * *

It was later that morning when Shelagh pulled out and lowered herself down onto one of the chairs in the kitchen of the community centre after making herself a cup of tea at clinic, a sigh escaping her as she looked down into the golden liquid in the teacup and thought back to the fit that Isla had thrown when she had made to leave after taking her to nursery. She had been expecting her to beg her not to leave and to have a little moment, but she hadn't expected her to throw herself onto the floor and sob.

Isla's teacher had allowed her to have a few minutes alone with her before she left for Nonnatus and when she had been sat rocking back and forth with her in her arms in the snack room, she had almost cried herself. Ever since the night Isla was born – almost four years ago – the two of them had never been apart from one another. Wherever Shelagh had gone, Isla had gone with her, and now all of that was coming to an end and it didn't surprise her in the least that her little girl wanted to go with her.

Isla had still been tearful and reluctant to let go of her when she had told her that she had needed to get going so that she wasn't late for work, but when she had taken her hands and unwound her arms from around her middle before kissing the backs of her palms and telling her that she would be coming back, her little girl had walked over to the book corner before picking a storybook and sitting down with it.

She had allowed a couple of her own tears to fall once she had exited the nursery and begun to walk to the community centre, but had been sure to wipe them off of her cheeks before she had walked inside to help set up the cubicles for clinic. Now, however, as she sat with her tea on her break, the tears were in her eyes once again and she was finding it difficult to fight against the urge to just let them escape.

'Do you mind if I join you, or would you rather be alone?' The gentle sound of Patrick's voice brought her out of her thoughts after a few minutes, a gasp escaping her lungs before she looked up from her tea and turned her head in his direction before offering him a smile. 'I don't mind leaving if you want- '

'No,' She cut him off with a shake of her head, 'it would be nice to have someone to talk to.'

Patrick ventured further into the room before pulling out the chair next to her at the table and sitting down, a crease forming between his brows when she gazed back down into her tea for a moment and he was able to tell that there was something bothering her. 'Nurse,' He kept his voice quiet, 'is something the matter?' He frowned when she brought her gaze back to his and he saw the tears shining in her eyes.

'I dropped Isla off for her first day at nursery earlier on and,' She sighed gently, 'it didn't go too well.'

He nodded. 'The first day is always the hardest.'

'We've never been apart from each other before.' She told him. 'Even before we left Aberdeen and came here, wherever I went she came with me and I never left her with anyone. I remember how Mum and Dad used to ask me if I wanted them to babysit her so that I could go out with friends on occasion, but I never agreed.' A little smile formed on her lips. 'I've always hated the thought of being without her.'

When her eyes started to burn with tears she lowered her gaze to her lap, but looked into his eyes again when he rested his hand on her arm through the sleeve of her cardigan. The two of them looked into each other's eyes for several long seconds before Patrick removed his hand from her arm and cleared his throat. 'I'm sorry,' She whispered before she took a long sip of her cooled tea, 'I'm just being stupid.'

'No,' He shook his head, 'you're being a mother.'

She looked at him over the rim of her teacup.

'You're worried about your daughter because you aren't with her; there's nothing wrong in it.' He said.

She offered him a small smile before setting down her teacup once again. 'Thank you.' She replied.

'Doctor,' Their time alone was brought to an end when Trixie appeared at the hatch, 'I was hoping you might be able to come and take a quick look at Mrs. Elliott? She appears to be in quite a bit of pain.'

'Of course, Nurse Franklin.' Patrick nodded. 'I'll be with you in a moment.'

The fair-haired nurse then turned on her heel to return to her patient while Patrick placed his hand on Shelagh's arm again and smiled. 'Are you feeling a bit better now?' He inquired as he raised his brow.

'Yes, I am.' She reassured him. 'Thank you for cheering me up.'

'You're welcome.' He replied while rising from his chair. 'If you need anything, just come and find me.'

She nodded before picking up her teacup. 'I will.'

He looked at her for a moment longer before turning to walk out of the kitchen again, Shelagh sighing as she leaned back in her chair and took another sip of her tea.

'_So __**that's **__how a woman is supposed to be treated by a man.' _She realised. _'With gentleness.'_

* * *

'Mummy! Mummy!' A smile broke out on Shelagh's face when Isla got up from the table that she was sitting at with another little girl and ran over to her with a piece of paper in her hand that afternoon, the two of them sharing a tender embrace when she got down to her level and looped her arms around her waist. 'I missed you.' She heard Isla sigh against her neck as her arms were around her shoulders.

'I missed you too, my wee angel.' She replied before turning her head to press her lips to her forehead.

When their embrace broke she brought her hands to rest on Isla's waist and smiled while she looked into her eyes. 'Did you have fun today?' She raised her brow at her, Isla nodding with a gorgeous smile.

'Yep!' She giggled. 'I was a bit sad when you left, but then Barbara came and sat with me!'

Shelagh gathered that the little girl Isla had been sat with a few minutes earlier was Barbara.

'Then,' Isla continued, 'Mrs. Peters let us go outside and then when we came back inside we had snack time, then me and Barbara played house and then we had sleep-time and then I made this picture for you!' She leaned against her mother then, allowing her to lace an arm around her before she turned the piece of paper around and showed her the picture that she had drawn. 'It's us playing on the swings!'

Shelagh felt her heart swell with love for her beautiful little girl as she took in the sight of the drawing that she had made just for her. 'That is the best drawing I have ever seen!' She gave her waist a stroke through the fabric of her dress. 'We're going to have to look for a frame for it when we get home and hang it on the wall, aren't we?' She nudged Isla's nose with her own when their gazes met once again.

'Can we go home now, Mummy, can we go home now?' Isla asked, hope in her eyes.

Shelagh couldn't help but giggle. 'Yes, sweet pea.'

She rose from her crouched position before smiling as Mrs Peters, Isla's teacher, came walking over to them with Isla's coat and satchel. 'You weren't going to go home without these, were you, misses?' Mrs Peters smirked, Isla laughing as she held her Mummy's hand and her eyes sparkled as she gazed at her. 'She's been a perfect angel since you left.' The fair-haired women said to Shelagh before letting her take Isla's things from her. 'She's a credit to you and your husband.' Shelagh beamed down at her little girl.

That was one thing she couldn't argue with.

'Thank you.' She nodded when she looked at Mrs Peters again.

'Mrs Peters, William knocked my cup over!' The sound of a little boy calling from the other side of the room prompted the teacher to look over in his direction before she turned back to Shelagh and Isla with a giggle.

'Well, I had better go and see to James.' She admitted. 'I'll see you in the morning, Isla.'

Shelagh and Isla then watched Mrs Peters walk in the direction of the two young boys before Isla lifted her gaze back to her mother's. 'Can we go to the sweet shop now, Mummy? You said that we could.'

'I did, didn't I?' Shelagh smiled while leading her out of the nursery by the hand.

Once she had closed the door behind her she crouched down to help Isla into her coat before bringing her into another cuddle once she had buttoned up the front of it. 'I love you so much, sweet pea, and I'm so proud of you for being such a big girl whilst Mummy was working today.' She stroked her hair.

'I love you too, Mummy.' Isla reassured her before kissing her on the cheek and pulling back from her.

The two of them shared one more smile before Shelagh stood up again and took her daughter's hand in her own. 'Right, you,' She squeezed her hand, 'let's get you to the sweet shop so that you can get some sweeties to have _after _your dinner.' Isla whined at that before pouting when she glanced up at her again.

'Can I have _one _before dinner?' She pleaded. 'Just a little one?'

'Well that all depends.' Shelagh smirked. 'Are you going to let Mummy have one?'

Isla nodded.

'Then yes.' Shelagh giggled. 'You can have a sweet before your dinner.'

The happiness that she saw on Isla's face warmed her heart and she was certain that she felt her heart swell with the love that she possessed for her while the two of them began to walk down the street.

* * *

Shelagh released a deep sigh when she was laying in the darkness of her bedroom that evening with her husband snoring into her neck and his arms wrapped around her waist from behind, her hand resting next to her head on her pillow while she just stared at the wall opposite their bed – unable to drift off. She and Graham had made love earlier that night and even though he had been respectful – it hadn't been as romantic as it had been years earlier. There had been no rose petals on the bed and no candles.

If she was honest, she hadn't felt up to being intimate with him that evening, but when he had taken her hand after kissing her on the settee for a while and had led her up the stairs she had just gone with it. After their lovemaking he had taken her in his arms and kissed the back of her head before saying goodnight to her and falling asleep. _'So much for romance.' _She had thought as he had started snoring. It was as though being intimate with her meant nothing to him anymore and knowing that hurt her.

Perhaps he had just gotten bored of her. It had been ten years after all.

With a sigh, she buried her nose into her pillow and closed her eyes, but before she had the chance to settle down her eyes opened again. She was certain that she didn't own a perfume that smelled like that. Thousands of negative thoughts and images began to race through her mind as the scent lingered, but after a few moments she scolded herself. _'Don't be so ridiculous! He may not be the best at controlling his temper, but he would never bring another woman into your bed! You're just being paranoid…'_

After repeating the same thing over and over in her head for a few minutes she allowed her eyes to fall closed again, covering Graham's hand with her own on her stomach before stroking her thumb back and forth over the gold band on his ring finger. No, even though he could be violent and even though the insults that he growled at her now and again could hurt, he would never go behind her back; he would never be stupid enough to bring another woman into their bed and make love to her, would he?

She wanted – with all her heart - to believe that he wouldn't and that she was just being stupid...

But the perfume that was caught in the fibres of her pillow was screaming otherwise.

* * *

**Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed chapter two! I apologise for the abrupt ending, but I just couldn't think of how else to end this chapter and I wanted to get it up sooner rather than later! I hope that you will all leave Aimee and I a review to let us know what you thought of this chapter and that you will also come back to read chapter three! See you all next time :-) x**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Welcome to chapter 3! Aimee and I hope that you all enjoy!**

* * *

Shelagh combed her fingers through Isla's hair in a soothing fashion when the two of them were sat together on the settee the next morning, Isla curled up in her lap as her head was pillowed on her chest and she sucked on her thumb while her eyes were half-lidded. Her little girl had thrown up several times through the night and had ended up coming to sleep in her and Graham's bed just after midnight, and when the two of them had gotten up she had telephoned Nonnatus and had been so relieved when Sister Julienne had granted her permission to spend the day at home with Isla.

The thought of having to leave her home with Graham whilst she was at work for several hours had terrified her. She had known that – since she was sick – Isla would constantly be wanting cuddles and drinks of water, and she knew that if she had been left alone with Graham then he would have lost his temper and just the thought of him belting her had turned her stomach. _'It shouldn't have to be like this.' _She sighed to herself. _'I should be able to leave her alone with her own father for a couple of hours without having to worry about coming home to find that he's hit her.'_

But she _couldn't _leave Isla alone with Graham.

She couldn't trust him not to harm her, as much as she hated to admit it.

'Mummy?' The sound of Isla whimpering brought her out of her thoughts after a few minutes and she offered her an affectionate smile when she met her gaze. 'I have a tummy ache.' The discomfort that the three-year-old felt was clear to see in her eyes.

'Would you like me to rub your belly for you?' Shelagh asked.

Isla gave a silent nod before resting her head on her chest again and going back to sucking on her thumb, Shelagh sighing as she slid one hand beneath her pyjama shirt and started to run it back and forth across her belly. They sat silently together for the next few minutes, Isla beginning to drift into slumber against her mother's chest while Shelagh continued to rub her stomach, but Shelagh shut her eyes and sighed inwardly when she heard her husband starting to make his way down the staircase.

She chose not to meet Graham's gaze until he spoke to her when he came walking into the sitting room, her attention focused on Isla as she continued to try and drift off, but when he huffed: 'Haven't you made my breakfast yet?' She brought their daughter closer before lifting her head to meet his gaze and letting out a gentle sigh.

'I haven't had time to make it yet.' She told him. 'Isla's still not feeling too good.'

Graham rolled his eyes. 'She's got a bit of a sniffle.' He replied. 'You're babying her.'

'She has not got "a bit of a sniffle".' She informed him. 'She was throwing up all night and her temperature's sky high. There's something wrong with her, which is why I made an appointment with doctor Turner to have him check her over at lunchtime.'

'You can't seem to stay away from this "doctor Turner" fellow.' Graham scoffed.

Shelagh frowned at him. 'We work together, Graham, we're friends.'

'As long as that's all you are.' He hissed.

His words made her pause for a moment. 'And just what are you implying?'

'Nothing.' He said with a shrug before beginning to approach the settee and looking her right in the eye. 'But if I find out that there's anything other than friendship between the two of you, you had better watch out.' Shelagh shook her head in reply.

'You need to calm down.' She sighed.

The next thing she knew; she was whimpering as he took her by the hair.

'_Never _tell me what to do, do you understand that?' He growled.

She nodded in silence as her eyes were closed and she sucked on her lower lip.

'I said…do you understand that?' He repeated himself.

'Yes,' She whispered, 'I do.'

The next whimper she gave was one of relief as he released her hair and took a step back from her, tears burning in her eyes while she looked up at him. 'You need to learn your place.' He told her while running the tips of his fingers along the line of her jaw, Shelagh sighing as he caressed her face with his hand. 'Now come here.'

She shut her eyes and tightened her hold of Isla when he kissed her gently on the lips.

'I love you.' He ran his hand over her hair after drawing back.

'I love you too.' She forced herself to smile.

He turned on his heel then and walked out of the sitting room, a crease appearing in between Shelagh's brows while she watched him remove his jacket from the coat rack and slip it on. 'Where are you going?' She asked, Graham turning to look at her.

'I'm just going out for a few hours.' He told her. 'I'll be back around lunchtime.'

She nodded in response, but there was a sceptical look on her face.

'There's nothing for you to worry about.' He said before he sat on the stairs and put his shoes on, stepped out of the little flat and closed the front door behind himself.

Shelagh ran her fingers through Isla's hair before pressing her lips to the top of her head and releasing a tearful sigh. She was so glad that she was asleep and hadn't seen Graham pull on her hair like that. When she felt Isla snuggle further into her warmth and nuzzle her face against the side of her neck, she tightened her arms around her and leaned back against the settee before looking over at the window.

Graham had told her that he was going out and that there was nothing for her to be worried about and – like last night – she _wanted_ to believe that there was nothing for her to be worried about and that she was just being stupid, but...but she couldn't.

If there was nothing for her to be worried about then why wouldn't he tell her where he was going?

Why was he being so secretive…?

* * *

'I'm just going to have a listen to your lungs with my stethoscope, sweetheart, is that alright?' Patrick raised his brow at Isla when she was sat on the bed in his office at the surgery just after lunch, Shelagh nodding from where she was sat on the chair at his desk as she saw how gentle he was being with Isla. 'I won't hurt you, I promise.'

The three-year-old gave him a soft smile as she nodded before he put the earpieces in his ears and pressed the chest-piece against the right-side of her chest through her dress. 'Now, can you take the deepest breath in that you can for me?' He smiled back at her before she breathed in and he listened carefully to her chest. 'That's a good girl. Now can you breathe out for me?' She did as she was told before Patrick nodded and moved the chest-piece to the other side of her chest. 'Can you do that again?'

Once he had listened to the left-side of her chest he moved to stand behind her. 'We're going to do the same thing again now, Isla, but I'm going to open your dress to hear your chest a little bit better. Is that okay?' Isla hummed in agreement before smiling at her mother and allowing the doctor to unbutton the back of her dress. Before he could press the chest-piece to her back, however, Patrick paused at the sight of quite a few bruises over it and her arms. _'Goodness, she's been in the wars.' _He frowned.

He decided against bringing up the subject of the bruises over her skin and pressed the chest-piece against the right side of her back, smiling when she laughed as the chest-piece felt cold against her skin. 'Yes, I'm afraid the chest-piece is a little cold.' He told her with a laugh. 'Can you take a deep breath in for me again? Just like before?' He ran a hand along her arm when she did as he had told her. 'You know, Miss Thomson, you are one of the best patients I have ever had.' He said to her.

'I am?' She asked.

'Yes.' He replied. 'And, since you've been so brave, I think I might have a sticker in my drawer for you.' Isla's eyes lit up when he finished listening to the left side of her chest and buttoned up the back of her dress again, the two of them sharing a smile before he rested his hands on her waist and lifted her off of the bed before setting her down and allowing her to walk back over to Shelagh. 'It's nothing serious.' He said.

Shelagh sighed in relief when she lifted Isla into her lap and he sat down in the chair at his desk again. 'It isn't?' She asked before kissing the side of her daughter's head.

'No.' He shook his head. 'It seems to me that she has a small virus.'

'Is there anything that I can do to help her?' She raised her brow.

Patrick nodded. 'She needs plenty of water and I'm also going to give you a bottle of medicine for her to help with the aching in her muscles. If you give her a teaspoon when she wakes up and a teaspoon before she goes to bed, then I think she'll be well again within the next two days.' Shelagh smiled as she stroked Isla's hair lovingly.

Patrick swiftly made up a prescription for her and allowed her to take it from him before he watched her ease Isla off of her lap and take her hand in hers when she rose from her chair. 'Thank you for agreeing to see us in such short notice, doctor, I know how busy you are.' She said as she caressed Isla's knuckles with her thumb.

'It was my pleasure.' He reassured her.

Shelagh then nodded in response before turning to Isla. 'What do you say, lovely?'

'Thank you, doctor Turner.' Isla smiled.

'You're very welcome, sweetheart.' He reciprocated her smile. 'Would you still like a sticker to take home with you?' Isla tilted her head back to look up at her mother.

'Can I have one, Mummy? Please?' She asked.

Shelagh stroked her cheek with the back of her hand. 'Yes, Isla.'

Isla slipped her hand out of her mother's before walking around to Patrick's side of the desk and allowing him to stick the sticker onto the front of her dress, Patrick chuckling when she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a quick cuddle. 'I like you, doctor Turner.' She told him while he ran a hand over her mousy locks.

'I like you too, Isla.' He reassured her before sharing a friendly smile with Shelagh.

When Isla released Patrick from her hold, Shelagh turned to her before saying: 'We should be going, darling. Daddy will be at home now and he's going to be after his dinner.' Even though she was no longer cuddled up to him, Patrick noticed the way that Isla froze for a second and her smile disappeared at the mention of her Dad.

'Goodbye, doctor Turner.' Isla said before walking over to her mother.

Once she had taken her mother's hand in her own again she allowed to entwine her fingers with hers. 'Thank you again for checking her over for me, doctor.' Shelagh said before she and Patrick shared a final smile and she turned to lead her Isla out of his office. Patrick couldn't help but sigh gently when he leant back in his chair.

He had never encountered Shelagh's husband and he wasn't certain he wanted to.

And – even though he hoped with all his might that he was wrong – he had an awful feeling that her husband was the reason behind those bruises covering Isla's back.

He wished he could get the truth out of her, but he couldn't just come out and ask.

He needed to think hard about how he was going to help Shelagh open up to him.

Before anything else happened to either her or to Isla.

* * *

It was later that afternoon, once she had gotten Isla comfortable on the settee with a blanket and her stuffed bear, when Shelagh was stood at the stove in the kitchen as she made dinner. Graham had already been home when she and Isla had gotten back from seeing doctor Turner, but he hadn't said a word to either of them. All that he had done had been kiss her on the lips, give her cheek a slow stroke with the backs of his fingers and walk upstairs to their room. He still hadn't come back downstairs.

When he had kissed her, she had smelled a familiar scent on him.

She hadn't been able to name the scent at that moment, but she was able do so now.

It had been the perfume that she had smelled on her pillow the night before.

The fact that the scent of the perfume was caught in the fibres of Graham's sweater only further confirmed what she had been dreading the night before. He was having an affair. That would explain him going out for a couple of hours that morning; it would explain the perfume that she had smelled on her pillow the night before, and – most of all – it told her that she hadn't been paranoid. There was another woman.

When she felt a pair of hands come to rest on her sides through her blouse and a pair of lips find her neck she felt her stomach turn and instantly shrugged Graham off. 'Shelagh?' The confusion in his voice only made her feel more annoyed with him and so she turned down the flame on the stove before turning around to meet his gaze.

'I'm going to ask you this once,' Her voice trembled, 'and only once.'

Graham stood in silence as he looked at her.

She took a deep breath before asking: 'Are you having an affair?'

The two of them looked at one another in silence for a few seconds before Graham sighed and pushed his hands into his pockets. 'Yes,' He dropped her gaze, 'I am.'

Shelagh felt her heart sink like a stone in her chest. She had wanted him to be honest with her – hence why she had brought up the subject – but she hadn't expected him to be so blunt about it or find it so easy to come out with. 'How long?' She whispered as she gazed down at the kitchen floor, feeling too betrayed to look up into his face.

'Almost a fortnight.' He replied.

She tried to nod, but felt too numb to move an inch.

When she finally found the courage and the strength to look at him, she gave him a glare. 'Can I ask you a question?' She asked as she raised her brow at him, hearing him mumble when he shrugged in response. 'Why?' She felt hot tears prick her eyes.

'Because,' He took a couple of steps closer to her, 'I'm sick to the back teeth of you nagging at me and disapproving of everything I do. Spending time with her means that I'm away from this place for a couple of hours and I can finally have a little peace.' Shelagh felt her heart shatter as she knew that he meant every single word.

'But…' She sniffed, 'but you told me that you loved me this morning.'

She wiped away the tear that danced over the curve of her cheek.

'And I meant it.' He said. 'I do love you…just not as deeply as I love her anymore.'

All Shelagh wanted to do in that moment was storm out of the room and go upstairs to sob to her heart's content in the bathroom, but she knew that – for the first time in her marriage – she needed to have a bit of back-bone and stick up for herself. 'You love her, do you?' She raised her brow, her heartbreak quickly turning into anger.

'Yes.' He nodded.

She took a few steps closer to him before lowering her voice just in case Isla woke up in the sitting room. 'Well then, you can go and spend all night in _her _arms. _She_ can make your dinner, _she _can iron your shirt tomorrow morning, _she _can be the one to wake up at dawn to have your breakfast ready for when you wake up and _she _can be the one to kiss you when you come downstairs!' Her voice trembled with emotion.

'Shelagh, you don't mean that.' He frowned.

'Oh, don't I?' She seethed. 'If you want me to prove to you that I meant every word of what I just said to you then I'll go upstairs and put your things into a bag myself!'

Graham took a step closer to her before sliding an arm around her and pulling her flush against him. 'Come on, darling,' He kissed her forehead, Shelagh scowling up at him when he pulled back, 'don't be so unfeeling.' His words only made her angrier.

'Get out.' She shoved him off of her. 'Before I say something I'm going to regret.'

'You're going to regret _this.' _He snarled as he looked into her eyes. 'Mark my words.'

He then stormed out of the kitchen and up the stairs, Shelagh walking over to the dinner table before she pulled out one of the chairs and lowered herself down into it. She then rested her elbows on the table, put her head in her hands and crumbled.

* * *

'O ye'll tak' the high road and I'll tak' the low road and I'll be in Scotland afore ye, but me and my true love will never meet again on the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond.' Shelagh sang quietly to Isla when the two of them were tucked up in bed together later that night, her little girl looking up at her from where her head laid on her shoulder while she ran her fingers through her hair. 'Time for sleep, angel.'

Isla didn't close her eyes or snuggle into her as she usually did when she spoke those words, but reached up to stroke her cheek with her hand. 'I don't like it when you get upset, Mummy.' She whispered, Shelagh allowing the smallest of smiles to grace her features before she tightened her hold of her and placed several long kisses on her temple. 'Maybe you're sleepy.' Isla told her. 'I get sad when I'm sleepy, don't I?'

'You do.' Shelagh nodded. 'I think you might be right, darling, maybe I am sleepy and maybe – if I get some rest – I'll feel a little better in the morning.' Isla gave her the gentlest of smiles before brushing her hair out of her face and sighing gently.

'Would you like a kiss, Mummy?' The three-year-old asked.

Shelagh ran her hand along her back beneath the quilt. 'I would love a kiss, Isla.'

Isla pressed her lips to her mother's in a simple kiss before settling down next to her and resting her head on her shoulder again, grasping her nightgown in her hand. 'We need to get some sleep now.' Isla said before she gave a quiet yawn and giggled.

'We do.' Shelagh agreed before reaching over her to switch off the lamp that was sat beside her glasses on the nightstand. 'I want you to wake me if you feel like you're going to be sick, Isla, okay?' She whispered into the darkness while stroking her hair.

'Okay, Mummy.' Isla nodded as she nuzzled her neck.

'Goodnight, my beautiful girl.' Shelagh kissed her on the hairline.

Isla allowed her eyes to fall closed when her mother drew the covers further over the two of them. 'Goodnight,' She replied while snuggling further into her. 'I love you.'

'I love you too.' Shelagh sighed. 'I love you too.'

* * *

**Author's Note: Aimee and I want to thank you all for reading and we hope that you will leave us a review to let us know what you thought of this chapter. See you all next time x**


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